Kaleidoscope
by starisice
Summary: Collection of random drabbles, filled with different themes.  Watch as they shift and change the clear-wrought pattern of Fate and Destiny as they please.
1. Under Control

Just tiny little drabbles for you to enjoy. (Since I keep coming up with these things that distract me from my main story...)

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><p>Tenten looked quizzically at the person in front of her as she slowly repeated what he just said, "Like it, hate it?"<p>

"Hate it, like it." He corrected her.

"What?"

He repeated, "I said 'Hate it, like it. Tonsils perfect. Tree thumb, root fit. Gracious? Look it.'"

"What?"

He gave out a sigh, "Never mind."

"Sheesh, so flinchy. You're not even spiffy anymore!" She pouted.

"Thank you," he said offhandedly, "I prefer cool anyways."

"Ughhh!"

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><p><strong><em>In a Clothing Shop...<em>**

"Spiff it, swing it. Correct it, perfect!"

Tenten glared at the person who was critiquing her, "What the hell are you reciting?"

"Black one, not white, you're too evil to be pure." He shot back at her.

"Oh thanks, I like the black one too." She replied happily.

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><p><strong><em>On the Way Home...<em>**

Her passenger sang, "Yelling sucks, drive a pickup truck. If it crashes, then you're out of luck!"

"I'm driving here!" Tenten yelled at the passenger.

He blinked and giggled, "I know. Just warning you. Look! There's a steel bow!"

"Umm...excuse me?"

He waved his hand around, dismissing her question, "Yellow, mellow. My friend, only you are one fine fellow."

Tenten braked the car, making it screech into a halt in some unknown parking lot, "Neji, what's wrong with you?"

Neji giggled, got out of the car and began to dance, "I believe I forgot to tell you that Ino is currently in control. Ha! I love being a troll!"

A scheming spark appeared in Tenten's eyes. She rummaged around in her purse. "Ino! Whatever you do, don't let Neji take over." She commanded.

"Neji" stopped in mid-pirouette with "his" leg still in the air, "Why?"

Tenten held up a camcorder, "This just has to be cataloged."

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><p>Thanks for reading! A review is appreciated. *wink*<p>

~starisice


	2. Force

Something I had to write, I hope you'll enjoy it.

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><p>A sprinkle.<p>

A spark.

A lone tear.

Two glimmering blades.

"Get up!" A voiced barked at her.

Unbalanced, she stood up and gingerly touched the side of her face. It was red, swollen, and pulsing.

The offender juggled two rusty, ill butterfly knifes and roared, "I said, _get up_!"

"I am up," she choked out.

"No! I want you standing like you did before: challenging, relentless, _confident_."

"I can't," the lone tear began morph into two gushing waterfalls, "I can't!"

"You have to," the offender ordered.

She took a deep breath, "M-may I return tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" The offender chuckled, "If you leave now, tomorrow will be your death day."

"Sensei!" She dropped to her knees.

"Begging will do you no good."

"Please –"

"Saito, throw her back into the cell! I've had enough of her!" Her teacher grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to a stocky, middle-aged man well-hidden in the shadows.

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><p>The guards threw her into a dark, moldy cell. She went down in a tumble: head first, feet second, stomach third, hands last. They slid the bars in place with a loud clang and lumbered off to their employer.<p>

One turned around and said gruffly, "Lassie, get a grip. Orphans are strong."

She bit back another onslaught of tears and whispered, "I know."

Footsteps echoed, then she was alone. Or so she thought.

"You are pitiful," a voice shot out of the darkness.

"Yes, I am," she mumbled back to the stranger.

"Stand up," the cold, monotone of a voice told her.

"Can't," she replied snappily.

A teenage boy walked out of the corner of the cell. His hair was buzzed, almost nonexistent. His eyes were white, enchanting like a witch's. He eyed her warily and crossed his arms, "You become defensive now?"

"Yes."

He moved to her side and yanked her up by the collar. Her legs dangled in the air. "How old are you?"

She did her best monster-glare, "Why should I tell you?"

"Because," he retorted as he started to swing her around by the collar, making her feet slam rather painfully into the rough brick wall surrounding them.

"I'm eight, I'm eight," she screeched painfully.

"Hn. That was not too hard, was it?"

She yelped as he released his hold on her collar. He had caused her to land stomach first on the frosty concrete floor.

"Hello," the boy said to her, his neutral face unchanged, "I am your cell-mate." He stood up and straightened his already impeccable clothes.

She sat up, and inspected her scrapped elbows, "Pleasure."

He crouched down next to her, "I am Neji."

"Don't patronize me," she deadpanned back to him.

"You really are eight?" He asked her, amused.

"Certainly."

"Let me fix your disgusting hair," he offered, ignoring her verbal jab.

"No."

"Too late." Neji lifted her more gently this time, and placed her back down with equal care. He carefully parted her tangled, dirt-encrusted hair and carefully formed two buns out of them at the top of her head.

"My neck feels good. My head feels heavy," she commented childishly.

"Good, you can fight like this now."

She looked at him with surprise, "What?"

"You kept losing because you could not see. Am I correct?"

She slowly nodded her head, "Yeah."

"Now you can see."

Touching her new hairstyle, she turned to him, "Thank you, you're a nice person after all." She poked his arm, "Onii-san, how old are you?"

Neji glared at the child before him,"I am sixteen. Do not call me that."

"Why?" She asked slyly.

"It makes me feel old."

"Good."

"What is your name?"

"Oh," her finger prodded her cheek, "I don't have one."

"You'll be Tenten, then."

"Why? I'm not heavenly."

Neji ran a hand through his hair, "I know. It also means 'this and that.'"

"Oh." She considered the name. "Tenten, I like it. It suits an orphan like me."

"Good." Neji said with relief.

"Why?"

He groaned. This child had too many questions. "You tire me."

"That's mean."

"I know."

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><p><strong><em>Ten years later...<em>**

"So, Neji, we're finally out of this hellhole," an eighteen year-old girl commented to her companion as they stepped out of a run-down warehouse.

"Hn."

"Knew you would say that, my dear _twenty-six-year-old_ fellow prisoner."

Neji growled at the beautiful girl with kaleidoscope brown eyes and matching hair, "Tenten, I told you not to make me feel old."

"Well, if it helps, you still look rakishly handsome," Tenten giggled back, "and you have wonderfully long hair now."

"_Tenten_."

"Okay, okay, I just love your white eyes." Tenten tip-toed and gave the man a peck on the cheek. She then pranced to the dirty sidewalk, dragging Neji with her.

It was amazing, forcing her way to life.

Of course, it helped that her Sensei died two days ago via senbon. _Her_ senbon.

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><p>Do you want me to expand this?<p>

Thank you for reading and a review is appreciated!

~ starisice :}


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